"There's still time for me to change my mind, but - I don't really plan to. I want magic," I say. "If you have advice on how to be as safe as possible on the journey I'd be grateful for it, though. I don't have my uncle's powers to help me along."

Prota says they still plan to travel to the Blue. They also ask Feldspar for advice on making the journey safely. They compare their own relative helplessness with Glint's magic. Prota knows they are vulnerable and asks Feldspar for advice to improve their chances. 

"There's still time for me to change my mind, but - I don't really plan to. I want magic," you reply. "If you have advice on how to be as safe as possible on the journey I'd be grateful for it, though. I don't have my uncle's powers to help me along."

Step 23

The mention of Glint displeases Feldspar, who strongly dislikes him. Specifically, she fears that Glint sets a bad example for the clan, encouraging people like Prota to risk their lives. She does not, however, want Prota to die, and appreciates being asked for advice rather than favors. 

Any advice Feldspar offers is likely to tie in to her own negative experiences outside the reach of her clan. (Such ties may also feature later in the plot.) [Feldspar has ties to a particularly nasty cult, the Ashbrands, founded by the manipulations of an immortal with powerful magic, currently known as Li Voita Nimue. She was recruited as a youth and manipulated into working for the Ashbrands until she learned of their deeper secrets and fled.] This has led her to cultivate a strong distrust of outsiders as manipulative and dangerous. She grudgingly respects Glint's power, but sees him as more lucky than capable compared to the dangers bluse. 

(Highlighting Feldspar's ceramic false leg in the prompt serves to emphasize her past experience and the constant reminder she carries.)

Your Great-Aunt frowns, leaning heavily on her ceramic leg. "Your uncle is a reckless fool, and not nearly as capable as he seems to think he is. Don't mistake good luck for the ability to handle real threats. The lands bluse of here are cruel and deadly, strewn with the accumulated refuse of civilization, and its people are not much better. A knife in the back is what the lucky ones get. If you are set on risking your fool head, don't make the mistake of trusting anyone who isn't family." 

Though her words are sharp and unforgiving, you've at least gotten her talking. Your Great-Aunt is not usually this forthcoming about the lands bluse, and you haven't spoken much since you began openly preparing for your journey. 

Feldspar's attitude has not yet improved, but it also hasn't worsened. She takes a certain vindictive pleasure in warning Prota and is genuinely glad to be listened to. 

I nod seriously. "I'm hoping not to need to rely on anyone I meet on the way for more than a careful trading arrangement."

Prota acknowledges the danger and talks about minimizing how much they depend on others. 

You nod seriously and reply, "I'm hoping not to need to rely on anyone I meet on the way for more than a careful trading arrangement."

Step 24

Feldspar grudgingly approves of Prota's statement. However, staying independent bluse is not easy. Group travel is generally safer, at minimum to allow for sleeping in shifts to keep watch. There is more to say about travel, and Feldspar is still willing to talk. Her bias leads her to exaggerate or overestimate the risks of travel, but she does have a different perspective than Glint, one less focused on individual travel preparations and more on the arrangement and logistics of groups. In her statement, Feldspar will use a common folk saying that includes the number five. [To locals near the Blue, the number five is supernaturally significant, an omen of ill luck.] Prota knows this, and may even share the superstition. 

Feldspar will also talk about other risks in cities, those particularly salient or memorable to her. Hustlers, brigands, thieves, and generally judgmental or exploitative locals. Finally, she will point out that getting magic isn't the end of the journey. If anything, people with magic are in more danger than those without, not less, because groups like the Ashbrands are always seeking new assets to recruit or coerce into joining. This is an especially difficult topic for Feldspar, and reaching it will cause her to briefly become lost in thought. 

(Mentioning how other factions compete for magics sets up future events, including a possible encounter with the Ashbrands or Li Voita Nimue if Prota chooses a path near their territory.) 

Your Great-Aunt nods in grudging approval. "That's a start, at least. But keeping to yourself won't be easy. Most bluse travel in caravans for safety, and before you get too far you'll want to join up with one at least to manage nightly watches. But for every group looking to hire guards or escort travelers for coin, there's five more looking for victims to rob." You recognize a common folk saying in Feldspar's last comment. It's probably an exaggeration, but the number five is an ill-luck omen to many. "In cities, you'll need a place to sleep. You'll need to buy food, barter your skills, and avoid the back-alley traps set up specifically to catch unwary travelers. Flash too much coin, and you're a mark. Flash too little, and you're desperate or unlikely to pay.

"And your troubles don't end when you get your precious magic. Far from it. Everyone out there will want a piece of what you'll have, and the only way to get it is to take you. Turn down an offer from the wrong faction, and they might decide they want you anyway. You have no idea what lengths they'll go..." Feldspar trails off, her eyes weary and distant. 

Feldspar is more sympathetic now, but also growing tired. 

"I wonder if - some of the jars you make would be good to bring along? They aren't obvious, like money, so I could sell them for you as we went along, and carry less open coin, and bring back the profit after."

Prota asks her Great-Aunt if they can carry and sell her pottery, echoing Glint's suggestion. Their tone seems tentative. 

You ask, "I wonder if - some of the jars you make would be good to bring along? They aren't obvious, like money, so I could sell them for you as we went along, and carry less open coin, and bring back the profit after."

Step 25

Prota has concisely stated the key elements of the plan. Bring some number of pottery items, sell them in towns along the way, and return profit to Feldspar. This is enough information to determine success or failure. Prota has made an above-average but not extreme effort to win their Great-Aunt's trust before asking about the pottery. They located Feldspar when she was alone and did not have to save face in front of her like-minded family members. They approached from a position of deference did not drag the conversation out. They did not do additional research on Feldspar or clan politics, or seek incentives likely to motivate Feldspar in particular. (The player should be rewarded for choosing this path and executing it competently.) A modest success is appropriate. [Unless insulted in the next few steps, Feldspar will agree to send a small selection of pottery for Prota to sell for her.] Because this is the first attempt and Feldspar is not yet fully convinced, only a handful of items will be offered.

Despite her insular mindset, Feldspar is a shrewd trader, and knows the value of selling directly in town. She does not need to ask why Prota selling the pottery is a benefit to herself. Prota has not yet chosen to negotiate for a portion of the profit. (The player may also need to be prompted to remember to ask). A commission is customary, but Feldspar wants to see if Prota will ask for it, so she will not say so outright. Feldspar will ask what Prota gains from this deal, as an oblique way of testing their resolve. Framing of the situation should make the player slightly wary of asking for this commission, but this is a deliberate trap. [If Prota does not ask for the commission, Feldspar will agree to the deal, then chide them for taking the easy way. If Prota does ask, Feldspar will agree and tell them to keep those same wits when bargaining for her.] (In either case, this will serve as a fairly low-stakes lesson for the player that their choices have realistic outcomes). 

(Dramatic tension can be created by making Feldspar's reaction uncertain at first.) It may seem to Prota at first that they have overstepped their bounds. 

(It would be helpful to give the player an idea of how their actions influenced Feldspar, and hint at what they may have missed.) Feldspar is glad to conclude this business quickly, and does in fact want Prota to survive the journey. She is, however, reluctant to take a significant risk on a journey she sees as unwise and dangerous, and she would look foolish in the eyes of her family if she lost much on an endeavor she previously opposed. Prota has avoided making a direct challenge to Feldspar's authority, which helps. Prota themself can realize the political implications, while Feldspar will express her appreciation of the swift conclusion out loud. 

Your Great-Aunt frowns, lips pursed into a thin line. Your stomach sinks. Did you go too far? 

After a tense few moments of thought, Feldspar nods. "Straight to the point, I see," she muses, a hint of approval in her tone. "I suppose it is not a terrible idea. I can offer you a small selection of my creations. Jars, bowls, an urn or two, perhaps a half-dozen in total." Less than you might hope for - a wagon can hold many dozens of such wares - but still a significant boon. Your Great-Aunt's eyes are distant and calculating. It occurs to you that she, too, is taking a risk here. If she were to lose a significant portion of her wares on a journey that she herself had publicly opposed, it would cost her significant standing in the eyes of her like-minded kinfolk. Wisely, you chose to confront her away from their judgmental gaze, but word spreads fast in small clans like yours. 

"I wonder, though," your Great-Aunt inquires, "what you expect to gain from this?"

Feldspar's sharp gaze is unsettling. From your conversation with Glint, you know that a portion of the sale profit as commission is common in deals like these. But the use of the pottery is itself a win; is it wise to press the issue over a handful of coin...? 

None. 

"I know if I were just going on a trip to sell the pottery I'd take part of the proceeds," I say. "But my trip is for something else, and if that would be a bridge too far, I'd forego it. Using the pottery on the way and having some liquid cash on hand while we travel would be enough to make it well worthwhile for me."

Prota says they would accept the pottery without a commission. They are not outright refusing one, but they are leaving the choice up to Feldspar. 

"I know if I were just going on a trip to sell the pottery I'd take part of the proceeds," you respond. "But my trip is for something else, and if that would be a bridge too far, I'd forego it. Using the pottery on the way and having some liquid cash on hand while we travel would be enough to make it well worthwhile for me."

Step 26

Prota is leaving the decision about a commission to Feldspar. Optimistically, they are deferring to Feldspar's greater experience. Pessimistically, they are nervous about pushing their luck. Either way, from Feldspar's perspective, they need to learn to negotiate more confidently. She will name a price for the pottery that is slightly high for selling it in town, but that Prota might be able to improve upon with skilled haggling or by finding the right buyer. (The exact amount is not relevant to the plot, and naming it could distract the player with needless bookkeeping.) 

Prota has not yet selected which pottery they want to take. This can be handled in the next prompt as well. Broadly speaking, types of pottery available to a migratory low-technology town will be limited. Because of the difficulty in setting up a permanent high-temperature kiln, most available pottery is earthenware, fired at low temperatures. High-temperature stoneware and porcelain are expensive and hard to find this far bluse. However, Feldspar can enhance her wares with magic, making them superior in some ways to even high-quality porcelain. Most notably, they are less prone to shattering. Possible options that could work well for Prota include large jars, pots, and urns for storing food or water, durable bakeware, and smaller but more carefully-crafted items such as teapots, cups, bowls, and plates that would fetch a high price if sold to the right buyer. 

The prompt should make explicit how many items the player can choose. Matching sets can be chosen, and should count as two or three items. 

"Very well then." Your Great-Aunt regards you with some disappointment. "I hope, child, that you will negotiate with more confidence when you are selling my wares to the gouging roustabouts bluse of here. They will leap at any opportunity to cheat you of your due. Offer a merchant an excuse to pay you less than an item is worth, and they will gladly oblige." 

With that said, Feldspar leads you inside her dwelling. A sizeable array of pottery, organized by size and type, sits to one side. Several items catch your eye. There are large containers for holding water or dry goods: tall, spindly vases and urns; squat brown pots; jars with long handles on either side. Beside them are a couple of Feldspar's baking pans, which you know to be unusually good at distributing heat in an oven or firepit respectively. Finally, there are smaller goods, prettier and more finely crafted than the rest. A set of matching plates and bowls, a teapot and cups, even a single tiny but exquisitely detailed sugar jar, whose design mimics a brightly-painted Orlake canoe. The smaller goods would be less useful on the road, except perhaps for storing herbs or spices, and you would need to find a wealthy buyer with the right tastes, but if you did, they would sell quite well. All these items, you know, are considerably more durable than most anything else that can be made with ordinary clay. 

Feldspar names a price for each, indicating the profit she expects to make on their sale. Prices for goods can vary between towns. Feldspar's prices are a bit on the high end, but not the highest the pottery could sell for, according to Glint. You might still turn a slight profit on this endeavor, if you manage to improve upon Feldspar's stated prices. You can choose any six items (or three and one matching set) to sell on behalf of your Great-Aunt. 

[Orlake is a town that makes canoes.]

I look over all the pottery thoughtfully, and then pick two large water jugs, an urn suitable for packing dry food, and the set of plates and bowls.